Cognition
by tinyraver
Summary: To understand someone, means to know them. Whether it be physically or emotionally. How far will Neji go in order to know his new partner, Yamanaka Ino?
1. Fleeting Thoughts

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

**Important: **This is my first published story, so please be kind. I am all open to suggestions and other tips. This is a very slow Chapter, without much detail, yet again this is my first story. I hope you all enjoy this.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Cognition<br>Chapter One: Fleeting Thoughts  
><em>**

* * *

><p>In the wee hours of morning, he remembered encountering her. The pale light of the rising sun casted a haunting glow over the village. The air was quiet with the few chirpings of birds waking from their slumber. He remembered everything about that day, though he remembered her the most.<p>

There she was walking through the gates of Konoha alongside her dark haired teammate, the vest of Chuunin upon her body. He could not remember her reaching those ranks though he had never paid much attention to her. Not until this day.

Along her exposed skin, there were a few cuts and scrapes; the evidence of a bruise was forming beneath her left eye. Her hair was a bit unkempt, though she still managed to look perfect. She looked exhausted, though a small smile was touching her lush lips, a sign of a mission well done. Her teammate was in the same condition as she was, though he simply looked annoyed. Much like he did as usual.

She glanced over at him; he was a bit taken back by how lively they were. They were the color of the sky on a clear day. He had never noticed how mesmerizing they were. He watched her smile grow a light more. Was it because she was happy to be back in Konoha or because of him? It was highly doubtful that she smiled for him, though it was a nice thought.

"Good morning, Hyuuga-san," she called out, her voice laced with exhaustion, though somehow it was sultry, attractive.

He nodded his head in response, as he shifted his weight, standing near the gate. He had arrived earlier than his two teammates, waiting for them. Tsunade had assigned them a three day mission; it was a simple negotiation between Konoha and a smaller village. They had wanted to hire ninja for bodyguards, though Tsunade was still a bit wary of the village. They were to go and negotiate over the details.

It was a petty mission that could have used a lower ranked team, but Tsunade thought that Team Gai was the best candidate for negotiating. He merely accepted the mission without complaint.

"You're going out on a mission," her teammate stated his voice holding the air of boredom.

He nodded once more, humming out a low reply.

"Come back safe," she chimed, before departing, leaving his sight.

Somehow his eyes trailed after her, watching the way her long hair swayed with each step that she took. It looked like finely spun gold shimmering with the early traces of the sun. The outfit that she normally wore, was covered by the Chuunin vest she wore, those endless legs of hers taking long, confident strides. He wondered why he had taken such an interest in her. He could remember a time when he found her annoying, irrelevant to the world of Shinobi.

Especially in The Forest of Death.

But now, he found that she was more tolerable, well, with those few words that she said to him. He could no longer see the girl that swooned over the Uchiha traitor. He could see a woman who took the role of Ninja seriously. It was an admirable quality.

"Neji."

He cut his glance from the direction that he been staring at back over to his teammate. He had always known that she had feelings for him, though he never felt the same. Pale hues looked at the bunned woman and he nodded his head.

"Let us head out, my youthful friends," Lee called out his voice loud enough to wake up the heaviest of sleepers.

TenTen let out a small sigh, before they waited for Neji to lead the way. With a curt nod, he led the group away from their home. They formed the perfect formation without even needing to be coaxed. Lee on his left and TenTen on his right, he led the way, his Byakugan necessary for scouting.

His thoughts continued to leave him as he wondered what it would be like to be on a team with the blond woman. He was sure that she wouldn't bother him that she would not be loud or stare at him from a far. He was sure that they would be a compatible team.

Maybe he would request the joining of them to see if his ideals were true.

He shook his head subtly, wondering as to why he had thought of such things. Normally, he was not one to think of such frivolous matters, especially thoughts that involved a female. But there was something about her that pulled him towards her. There was something that made him want to know her better.

Perhaps it was because he knew everyone else in the Rookie Nine besides her. He had never tried to acknowledge her until now. Perhaps it was just one of those moments that people went through, when it hardly made sense. He had long given up the idea of fate and destiny. Ever since the Uzumaki boy had handed him his ass, he had started living differently. The blonde woman was different and something was pulling him towards her.

There was just something about Ino Yamanaka.

In this second encounter, he had learned a lot about the Yamanaka.

For one, she did **not** take orders well.

They had been sent on an infiltration mission in the Land of Snow. A simple task to go into a base and retrieve a scroll, by all means it was a simple C ranked mission. Though the plans had changed and soon became a B ranked mission.

"Yamanaka, pull back," he commanded.

"I almost have it," she communicated back through the radio.

He let out a soft curse as his Byakugan picked up three more Shinobi closing in on her. "Yamanaka, pull pack now. That's an order," he hissed out.

"I got it!"

She quickly moved out of the room, scroll tucked into her vest. He tightened his fists as from his perched position outside of the base. He would go in and save her if need be, though he would not be happy about it.

She took out two of the enemies easily, her skills were slightly above average, it seemed that she had gotten better at close range combat. Though she went down when the third enemy caught her from behind.

Swooping down from his location, he made quick work of the guards at the entrance, his Gentle Fist technique knocking them unconscious. He moved to her location only to find that she had used the Shiranshin, making the enemy take his own life. He gave her a long hard stare, his anger with her was not shown, though he was sure she felt it.

Looking up, she gave him a meek grin waving the scroll that she had retrieved.

"I told you that I got it," she said a gentle pant coming from her, the toll of her jutsu evident.

"Let's go," he murmured, reminding himself that he would give her a piece of his mind when they were finished here.

She nodded and they quickly left the place, encountering a few more enemy Shinobi, before heading back to Konoha. They had been moving nonstop for two hours, trying to put as much distance possible from the Land of Snow and them. Neji mulled over his thoughts, a tick in his jaw. He was upset that she could have jeopardized the mission as well as lose her life.

He had always been used to full cooperation from his teammates, though the Yamanaka would surely try his patience. He was beginning to rethink that idea of them become a good team. It had been a thought that had had no real ground behind it.

As they slowed down after entering the vicinity of the Land of Fire, he called them to a stop. Ino looked over at him questioningly, a slender brow lifted.

"When I tell you an order, you follow it. I am the Captain for a reason," he stated calmly, his expression remaining impassive.

"If I had listened to you, we would have failed the mission," she retorted haughtily.

"You could have lost your life for your ignorance."

"Oh come on, you need have confidence in me, Neji. I would never put myself in a situation that I can't handle," she sighed out, shaking her head.

He noticed how her hair swayed with the movement of her head.

"You nearly put yourself in a deadly situation, had I not come you would have-"

"I took out the enemy before you came. Stop thinking that everything falls on your shoulders," she hissed out, her azure eyes darkening. "I did what was necessary to complete the mission; you came because you thought I was too weak to succeed."

He didn't reply because he knew that she had hit the nail on the head.

Her face brightened with anger and she turned away from him, her fists clenching tightly. "You're just like everyone else," she muttered.

He continued to remain silent and she had nothing else to say to him. He nodded his head to signal them to move on. The rest of the trip was in silence. Normally, he would have enjoyed it though this time it was unpleasant. He had never made someone so upset with him, then again he had never had a teammate like her before. He learned something else about the Yamanaka.

She did not like being thought of as weak.

He would remember that next time, if there was a next time that is.

* * *

><p>Tsunade had been pleased yet unhappy with the mission report of the two Shinobi in front of her. Hazel eyes studied them, the Hyuuga remaining stoic as usual, while the Yamanaka expressed her agitation across her face. Though she had to admit, while the blonde had not listened to a direct order, they had completed the mission. This resulted in a disgruntled team yet joyful Hokage. Letting out a small sigh, the older woman was unsure of what to make of it all.<p>

"I am glad that neither of you were hurt, though I must say that I am in disappointed in your ignorance, Yamanake," she quipped causing the younger blonde to deflate slightly. "However," she stated watching the two of them perk up. "I am pleased with the results. The lack of teamwork will need much improvement."

"There may be a better remedy, Hokage-sama," Neji interceded. "I request that I have another mission partner."

Ino quickly turned to look at the Hyuuga, who seemingly did not care for her exaggerated reactions. She bit back a response, seeing how they were in the presence of the Hokage. Though her face was slowly becoming red.

"I think not," Tsunade said, reclining back in her seat. "You both have skills that are required for the missions that I give you, there are no other partners."

Ino looked smugly at Neji, seeing how he grimaced a bit.

"Before the nest mission I assign you, I require that you both take sometime to train with one another. And Yamanaka, you must listen to to Neji, or else there will be probation within your future."

That was a sign that they were dismissed as the older blonde pulled out a bottle of sake from her desk. Children these days, they simply didn't know how to get along. She chuckled to herself, waiting to hear the loud blonde explode on the Hyuuga.

Once in the comforts of the hallway, Ino spun to face the Branch Member. "How dare you make a fool of me!"

"I merely recited the events of the mission. You, on the other hand, put the mockery upon yourself."

Glacial hues lit up with rage and she took a step towards him. "You listen and you listen well Hyuuga," she hissed out lowly. "I have worked my ass off to get where I am. I am not the little, weak girl that you think I am. When I say I can handle a situation, I can." She clenched her fists, as her petite frame trembled with fury. "I don't care if you are the Captain or not, you need to get off your high horse and understand that people are just as capable as you are. The next time you decide that I need saving, I swear that you will regret your decision."

She spun on her heels and took off down the long corridors of the Hokage Tower. The Hyuuga smirked a bit as he watched her storm away, she was becoming very interesting. He didn't know why, but he rather enjoyed seeing her get so angry, perhaps it was the lack of emotion he had on his part. He wasn't sure.

"We'll meet for training tomorrow at dawn," he called after her, though she made no indication that she acknowledged his words.

He shook his head, tomorrow would be one hell of a day.


	2. Acknowledgement

**Disclaimer: **Once again, I do not own Naruto~

**Important:** Ah, so I may not have a lot of time to update, though I will try my best to do so. I am in college and I just got a new job, so my life may get a bit hectic as of now. Also, this chapter…I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't want to rush things, but I am excited for what the future holds. Please enjoy this!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cognition<br>Chapter Two: Acknowledgement**_

* * *

><p>There was something so serene about Konoha in the morning. There was the gentle fog that rolled across the land, leaving a ghost of a touch, almost like a lover who had come home after a long overdue mission. The crisp, clean air which the forest provided; it invigorated the lungs and cleared the mind. The eerie light of the sun creeping upon the horizon, casting oddly shaped shadows upon the buildings and the ground. She had to say, she absolutely loved this time of day.<p>

Contrary to popular belief, Ino was an early riser. Yes, she enjoyed her sleep, though she had too much to do throughout the day rather than laying around in bed for half of the day. Ino was not the same girl she had been three years prior. She no longer idolized and pined for the youngest Uchiha. Her looks were no longer a priority to being a Shinobi. No, her looks were merely a tool; an asset to the disguise that she wore. She knew that many thought of her as a weak, pretty little doll, frail to the touch, unable to handle her own on the field. It was an advantage that she had against enemies, as well as in her own village, apparently.

Over the course of the last three years, she had made the ranks of Chuunin, and she was well into becoming a Jounin in the near future. She had dabbled in the idea of joining ANBU. Her father had been gushing over the fact that he was retiring soon and the Torture and Interrogation Unit would be in need of another Yamanaka. Over course, the thought delighted her, enthralled her to a point where she was sure that she had absolutely had to join. She had spoken secretively with Morino Ibiki and her father. Together they were coming up with plans of her future. The taste of promotion was at the tip of her tongue.

Though this was all still in the beginning process.

She hadn't whispered a soul of it to anyone around her. Not a single word had left her lips and so it would remain, not until she was fully confident with herself. Not that she was not already confident with her skills and jutsu, she more or less wanted it to be a surprise. Especially to her rival.

Sakura.

Now she loved Sakura dearly. Her rosette friend had been with her in the very beginning, ever since Academy days. Although they had traded friendship for competition in love, they had reconciled. They were now the same as they had been prior to being Genin. Though the roles had changed between them since that time, Sakura was now in the spot light; everyone praised the Godaime's apprentice. The pinkette had truly blossomed into a beautiful Cosmos, while Ino was still waiting for her time. She was waiting until she would bloom and be recognized as well. For now, she would remain in the shadow of her long time friend and rival, she was a prideful beast. She could not allow herself to remain in this role forever. She would surely catch up. She would never admit defeat.

That was her promise to Asuma-sensei. She never broke her promises and she had been working on it ever since his death, two years ago.

Every day she trained. She pushed her body to its limits and beyond. She relished in the burn of torn muscle tissue repairing, the trembling of weak limbs, and the exhaustion of expanding the Shinranshin and other genjutsu. All these years had not been left to mourning and being a burden to her teammates. That was against her Yamanaka pride.

She allowed herself to be put in the shadows, that way she could train without the speculation of outsiders. Her father had been teaching her new and highly classified Yamanaka family jutsu. He had been far more than elated to know that she was more than willingly to learn and perhaps pass on the knowledge to an heir or heiress one day. She was bettering herself while her teammates had ceased to truly be a _team_ these days. Shikamaru was now in charge on International Affairs with Suna, he spent most his time dealing with the Sand Siblings, especially Temari. She often teased him about the Suna woman and although he disagreed with her accusations, the blush that came to his face did not go unseen by the Yamanaka's eye. Chouji on the other had split his time between helping out at the Academy and working on his family jutsu. Although the hardly saw one another, they still were Team 10. They still ate at the same barbeque restaurant once a month. They still had their bond.

It was what made her strive to be the best. She promised to protect them and she always would.

Now the Yamanaka heiress may have been the top Kunoichi back when she was a Genin, though as time progressed she grasped onto ideals and other methods a lot slower than the rest of the Rookie Nine., but she was a force to be reckoned with. Not only was she full of mind-altering jutsu, she also had an arsenal of her genjutsu, with the guidance of Kurenai. She had sharpened her skills in taijutsu and knew the basics with the way of the blade. She would like to say that she was above average for her age and rank, but she wanted to be better.

If her strength or chakra reserves could not match Sakura's, then her looks could.

The baby face that once made her look so innocent had been lost due to her intensive training, now her prominent cheekbones matched a sleekly angular face. Glacial azure hues were now calculative and cold, when they used to be filled with naivety. Her body had filled out in all the right places, her supple curves attracting any and all eyes. Her muscles were more define and showed that she had not been slacking in her training. Her hair fell down to the cleft of her bottom in an endless river of finely spun gold. She was a bombshell, a deadly one.

She pitied those who underestimated her.

Like a certain Hyuuga.

After the refreshing walk towards the training ground, she searched for the Branch Member. It had not been hard to find him, he sat beneath one of the large trees that inhabited Konoha. She glanced around, seeing how this was Training Ground 46. There was hardly any damage to the place, aside from the age old kunai and shuriken markings in the tree. Overall, the grounds were clear, giving ample space to move around. She moved towards him, though he was as still as a pong. His eyes were closed and he sat with his legs crossed, arms lax while hanging over his knees. He was meditating. Somehow this didn't surprise the Yamanaka.

She wondered if she should snap him out of his trance though decided against it. Everyone had their own morning routine. She sat down not too far from him, slowly beginning her morning stretch, preparing herself for a long day of training.

* * *

><p>He had been awake since the first sounds of the chirping birds waking from their slumber. He may have even been awake before that. He was never sure. Sleep always seemed to elude him, though he was not a person in need of a lot of sleep. There were more important matters to handle, aside from sleeping.<p>

He walked through the Hyuuga Compound silently, though it was unnecessary. He had always been quiet. Upon waking up, he had found his cousin practicing in the training yard. He had watched her for a moment, studying her form. They had developed differently, while he had been the prodigy, Hinata had been in the shadows, even though he was a simple Branch Member.

He had been cruel at that time. He was full of anger and arrogance. He hated all the Head Members of the Hyuuga Clan. Perhaps he had even hated the Branch Members as well, except his father, Hizashi. There had been misconception when he was younger, he thinking that the Head Members had forced his father to give up his life, though he knew that not to be true now, Hizashi had given up his life to protect the entire Hyuuga Clan. He had learned such a thing after nine long years of holding this deeply seeded grudge.

Now, as he thought about it, he had become a better man. He no longer hated the Head Members. He felt remorse for nearly killing the cousin that he had sworn to protect. The brand stung faintly as he thought about that lifetime promise that was upon all Branch Members. He grimaced still, thinking about how she had been so pale against those hospital sheets. That had been nearly four years ago, as his twentieth birthday was approaching.

He had grown to be more conscious of things around him, he still remained quiet. He was stoic by nature, be it the way he had brought himself up, or the little interaction he partook in with his fellow Shinobi. He was not sure. He allowed himself to become further advanced with the Byakugan, furthering the Jūken, into Hakke Kūshō, which allowed high speed thrusts to assail the enemy. It was normally a style of training without expanding chakra, though it had turned out to be a valuable attack.

His hair was noticeably longer, as it was tradition for Hyuuga men to keep their hair long. Besides, it never seemed to bother him while he trained and went out on missions. Maybe it was because he kept it tied near the end. He still had a fair complexion and stunning, pale lilac eyes, though that was merely from his clan's Kekkei Genkai. He had grown taller his body becoming leaner. His countenance remained calm and composed, though he didn't look challenging any more. Covering his body, he wore traditional Hyuuga robes, still the usual, neutral colors that he wore before. White, gray, and black. He was rather handsome, but who had time for such thoughts of being attractive.

His mind drifted to the Yamanaka heiress.

He scoffed a bit. This caused Hinata to stop practicing, a startled gasp leaving her.

"N-Nii-san, I didn't realize you were there," she said while her voice trembled. "Forgive me."

He shook his head a bit. "Nonsense, you have nothing to apologize for, I should have made my presence known," he commented softly.

It may have seemed that Hinata had yet to conquer her speech impediment though that was quite the opposite. He had noticed that she had become more confident with her speech. How had she done such a thing? Well, he was sure that it could have been many different factors, but he could not say it was solely one thing. Though he was glad that she could speak confidently to him, it had been a bit tiring to always hear the fear in her voice.

"You're up earlier than usual," she said softly.

"Hn."

"Do you have a mission," she inquired.

"One could call it a mission," he mused. "I will be training with Yamanaka-san today."

"Why would you do a thing like that?"

"Tsunade-sama has made a request of it, seeing how Yamanaka-san and I were recently made mission partners."

"I see," she said lingering a bit. "Well, I do hope that the two of you get along."

"We will see," he quipped before bowing to the Hyuuga heiress. "If you will excuse me Hinata-sama, I must be on my way."

She made to object the title that he used with her, though he was already gone by that time. She let out a soft sigh, wondering how this new partnership would play out. Ino was rather…different than her cousin. Already, it sounded catastrophic.

* * *

><p>He had made it to the Training Ground 46 an hour prior to her arrival. He had picked this area for specific reasons. One it was closer to the hospital, which was a place he had a feeling that they both would need at the end of the day. Two they were still far enough away from the curious eye. It would be bothersome if a group of Genin happened to see two higher ranks fighting. Sure it would be a marvelous sight, though who said they wanted an audience?<p>

He knew he didn't.

He had felt her presence when she neared the vicinity; it had brought him out of the deep revere that his mind had been bathing in. He did not make any to acknowledge her entrance. He figured she would have been loud and brash upon arriving. He was thinking that she would complain and mope around thinking that this was a stupid idea though he did not hear any of that. Perhaps his idea of the Yamanaka was wrong, and then again she had certainly do nothing to change his ideals until this moment.

He still had his doubts about her.

He listened to the small grunts that she made while she stretched, allowing her time to prepare for the rigorous training he would put her through. He slowly stood up himself, opening his eyes for the first time in that last hour. He turned to look over at her, observing her quietly.

It was the first time that he had looked at her so intensely. He could see the faint markings of scars that littered her arms and legs. He watched the muscles under her tanned skin stretch and strain. He noticed how her hair seemed to be perfect, not matter what she did. The way her face scrunched up when she stretched out a sore body part. How she was serious, calm, and collected. It was a bit eerie to see her like this. He had never seen the Yamanaka in this kind of light. It was strange.

He had always known her to be attention seeking, loud, and a bit obnoxious. Just like the Uzumaki male that ran with dreams of being the future Hokage. He knew that his speculations of her had been unjust, though who would not undermine that Yamanaka heiress? She looked so fragile and delicate. She contradicted all that was to be of Shinobi. TenTen and Tsunade's apprentice had that tomboy image that was acceptable. Hinata was on the more feminine side, but Ino, she was all that was feminine and sensual. It was a bit…uncomfortable to be around such a woman.

"So, shall we start?"

Her voice was pleasant as it had been upon their first encounter. Low and seductive, it purred through the clear morning air. He resisted the urge to make her speak more, disliking the idea that he enjoyed her voice. She would be his partner; he would have to put his life in her hands. He would be sure that he could do that with confidence, not because her voice was appealing.

"Of course," he said slowly falling into his normal fighting stance.

Her brow furrowed with mild annoyance. "This is hardly fair. I am mostly a mid-range fighter and medic. How can I compare to you," she asked in a haughty tone.

"Shinobi should always be able to adapt to any situation," he stated calmly.

She blanched a bit realizing that he was quoting what they had learned in the Academy, though her thoughts were instantly broken as she immediately dodged a hand that was coming towards her. She tilted her head and stared at the male with wide eyes.

"You're faster than I expected."

"Shinobi should always be on guard," she hissed out.

He smirked a bit seeing how she was mocking him in a way. Somehow, this pleased him. He had never really met anyone who would contradict his words or use them against him. It seemed as if the Yamanaka would. He pivoted his body, aiming to target her torso and shoulder. He would not be using the Jūken today. He did not really want to shut down her chakra system. Ino twisted her body before gracefully flipping away from him; from her arsenal she launched a few shuriken.

Crouching on the ground, she readied herself to launch at him. She did not once hesitate as he dodged the blindly thrown shuriken. Using little chakra she pushed herself off the ground and towards him. One arm was held back as she prepared to land a punch on him. He made a movement to block her punch, though she quickly swooped down to knock him off his feet. He let out a strangled noise of surprise as he felt his back hit the ground.

How the hell?

When had she become such a fighter? Did she just not complain that she was mostly a mid-range fighter? He looked up to she the smirk that was playing upon her lips, it was like she knew what he was thinking. A frown touched his lips as he picked himself up off the ground. It would seem that he would have to be a bit more serious with her.

* * *

><p>It annoyed her to pieces that he was not taking her seriously, like everyone else. She contained the anger that boiled up inside her being. Her fists trembled with rage, though she was trying her best to keep her mind clear. She would show him. She would show them all. She was just as good as any other Kunoichi. Hell, she was better than average!<p>

She tried dodging the hands that came at her at a blinding speed. She grunted a bit as the stinging of fingers jabbing at her chakra points stung. She could already feel the whelps forming. Though she had no time to worry about the damage on her body, she had to escape the flurry of attacks. She stumbled back as his palm hit her chest; she felt her back hit the bark of a tree. Growling low in her throat, she would not allow herself to beaten like this. She had made a promise to herself.

She saw a small opening between his strikes, if she could time it correctly, she could be on the offense. She continued to move through the process of dodging before she lashed out her fist, a small bit of power was placed in chakra as she felt the satisfying feel of her fist on his flesh. He stumbled back which gave her enough time to pull out her weapon of choice. Her prized Tānto.

She rushed towards the Hyuuga member, swinging up her sword, though she was too slow. There was a sharp tug on her hair as he had moved behind her. She spun around frustration on her face. It was one thing that she had missed him, but it was another that he had actually tugged on her face. He could only smirk in response.

Neji shot forward thinking out this as a weak point in her stance, she immediately hopped back as his hand smacked her sword out of her hand. Well, so much for that plan. She ducked under the blow intended for her face; she shoved her shoulder into his gut, trying to move him away from her. It was obvious that she was not comfortable with close range fighting, though she was adapting.

Neji was rather impressed, though not enough.

His hand reached out and tugged her by the flying tail of gold that whipped around her. She let out an enraged screech and soon he found himself falling back. Lilac hues widened as he realized that he was holding onto nearly more than half of her golden ponytail. He glanced back over at her and realized that she was seething this anger. She quickly began to send punches and kicks his way, all with chakra running through them. It seemed that she had been training with her rosette friend.

He blocked the powerful blows never indicating that any of them hurt, though it would be a lie to say that they weren't painful. He wheezed as a solid kick landed on his ribs. The painful crunch of them cracking caused him to sputter blood. He spat the crimson liquid on the ground, before catching her elbow and tossing her into a nearby tree.

She let out a groan as she fell onto the ground, her back aching. She trembled as her body was soon tiring. She knew she shouldn't have trained so extensively the day before. But she would not be defeated, she could not allow it. She hopped up as Neji approached her with an open palm, she smacked the hand aside, punching him in the chest.

She went through a few motions of hand signs, before holding up the rectangular shape towards the Branch Member. The Hyuuga instantly felt his world become disorientated. She had used the Shinranshin on him. He stumbled a bit, feeling confused for a few moments. He shook his head as his eyes tried to focus on what was going on around him. It was too late for him to dodge the punch that launched him into the air. He felt like he was flying until his mind cleared, he looked to see a leg coming down upon him. Out of reflex he grabbed the leg pulling Ino down to him. She struggled to get out of his grasp, though he tightened the grip upon her. He tossed her to the ground while he landed ungracefully a few meters away from her. He breathed heavily as he watched blood drip from his nose.

Ino had picked herself up, brushing on the dirt on her body. She had a nasty gash on her forehead, the bruising from him hitting her chakra points were clearly visible. The resolve in those icy hues of hers told him that she would not give up, not until she could no longer move.

They both moved towards one another as they began to exchange powerful blow to one another. They were no sounds of them complaining that they were injured, their pride not allowing such a thing. It went back and forth for a while, she would land a bit on him and he would do the same. He knew that they were not exerting to their full extent. He knew that she would hardly be a match for him or was that his arrogance bubbling up again? So far, she was practically toe to toe with him.

Her tired arms went to land a punch in his torso, though he had seen it coming. She had to do something in order to land a blow on him, but she was running out of ideas. She had read his every move, picking up on the habits that he tended to have while fighting. She was an intelligent creature, able to sense the chakra expanded across the grounds and through the body. She could read the thoughts that were made in the human mind and she could manipulate their bodies. Though in this one moment, she had ran out of a thing to do.

That had cost her.

It happened so fast. One moment she was swinging a punch and the next moment, she was crumpled on the ground, clutching her shoulder. There was pain deeply etched into her face, though she did not make one cry out of agony. Neji glanced down at the blonde, realizing that their fight was to stop.

"Yamanaka-san, are you alright," he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she grimaced out, struggling to stand up. He offered a hand to help her up, but she didn't take it. She clutched her left shoulder and glared at him. "I can still fight."

He looked at the injured arm, realizing that it was hanging sickeningly lower than it should. A frown tilted the corners of his mouth down, his brows furrowed. "No, we need to get you to the hospital. This will conclude our training for the day."

"No, I can still fight. I'm fine."

"I say otherwise," he hissed out, his eyes narrowing a bit. "If we are to be a team, then I need you to listen to what I say. I am your Captain."

Glacial hues narrowed at him, he could see the glistening of tears turning her eyes like pools of water, unstead of ice. "I-I can still fight. I'm stronger than you think."

For the first time, Neji really **looked** at the Yamanaka heiress. Her entire body was trembling and shaking with exhaustion. Her tanned skin was bruised and scratched beyond belief. There was a gash on her forehead, crimson staining the left side of her face, dripping over her eye. Her hair had been cut free from her hair tie, unevenly cut strands curling just above her collarbone. Though that was not what truly captured him. It wasn't the condition of her body, or the clothes that were tattered. It was her eyes.

Those eyes told him millions of things. They were like reflections in the river, ocean, and sea. They portrayed all her feelings, without her having to say a word. She was frustrated, tired, ashamed, and prideful. Her pride was what caused her to defy him. He almost felt sorry for her. Some sort of pity towards the blonde, she had been underestimated all her life for that doll like face she possessed. She was proving her strength to him. She was showing that she could protect him and hold her own.

"You may be stronger than anyone else, but you need to seek medical attention. If not, then your strength can not be shown," he stated logically, but also in a sense that he was comforting her.

She sucked in a deep breath, her lower lip biting bit upon by her white teeth. She moved past him quickly, heading towards the hospital. He allowed her to walk in front him, as far as she wanted him. He slowly trailed after her, realizing that he needed medical attention as well. He had smelt the salty smell of tears as she had passed by him.

He allowed her to cry, allowed her to be by herself for the time being. Because he knew what that she was finally happy that someone acknowledged her progress.

And he would never speak a word of this moment to anyone else.


	3. Connection

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, I only own my ideas.

**Important: **So, I know that it has been a very long time since I've last updated. I have been cramming for Mid-Terms and I work closing five days a week. I have little free time, though I do write down everything whenever I have a chance. It's just now a matter of chance that I actually type it all up. _ Thank you all for the reviews I enjoy all he feedback. :D I'm not sure how this chapter will turn out, though I'm hoping everyone will enjoy it! Also, please forgive any typos that you may see, I tried to make sure I got them all, but I do happen to miss a few.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cognition<strong>_

_**Chapter Three: Connection**_

* * *

><p>"So, you're telling me that you were just training?"<p>

"Yes," Ino said in an exasperated tone. "I've told you this a million times already."

There was a sigh and a roll of the eyes. "Whatever, it just doesn't make sense," Sakura said while toying with the uneven ends of blonde locks, significantly shorter than the last time she had seen the Yamanaka. "You cut your hair." Her tone was almost sad with a hint of disappointment.

Ino let out an unbecoming snort before rolling her eyes. "It was getting in the way," she retorted in a bitter tone remembering how Neji had tugged on her ponytail.

"I just figured you'd never cut your hair again," Sakura mused.

"I do as I pleas," she quipped. "Look, I just came to get fixed up. I still need to do my solo training then I have to help out at the shop."

"Pig, you need to take a break for a day and let your shoulder heal."

Ino scoffed a bit. "Isn't that why I came here?"

Sakura scowled at the blonde and walked over to one of the many metal cabinets in the hospital room She dug through the metal shelves for a while pulling out the item she needed. She moved back over to her rival and friend, holding out a thick leather strip.

"Bite down on this," she muttered.

Ino took the strip and placed it in between her teeth, she scrunched her nose as the taste of the leather was not pleasant. She looked off in the other direction, mentally preparing herself for what was about to happen.

"Alright on the count of three," the rosette said calmly.

The Medic-nin's firm grip clutched Ino's upper arm while her other hand applied pressure on the dislocated joint of her shoulder. Inhaling deeply, Ino concentrated on what she saw outside. The sun was high up in the sky, it was around the afternoon, there was a bird feeding her chicks, and a gentle breeze ruffled the leaves.

"One."

She watched a bee hovering over the many vibrant flowers in the hospital courtyard. She smiled a bit as she watched a few of the sick children play with the toys outside.

"Two."

There was a shift of bone one bone, a large pop resounded in the quiet room. A strangled cry came from the blonde, tears stinging her eyes. Her arm and shoulder felt like it was on fire. This certainly felt even more painful than it had when it was dislocated. Then again, she didn't have the adrenaline pumping through her veins as she had prior to the hospital visit.

"How do you feel," Sakura asked taking the leather strip from Ino's mouth and discarding it.

"Like shit," Ino groaned, rolling her shoulder. She winced at the sharp ache that ran throughout her arm. "It's definitely better than before, thanks."

"Good, but if it starts bothering you again, I want you to take a break for a while."

"Yeah I know."

Ino hopped off the cold metallic table that she had been occupying for the last fifteen minutes, she stretched a bit and turned to her friend. "Let's have lunch sometime soon, alright?"

Sakura flashed a bright smile and nodded happily. "Sure, I'm free this Thursday. We'll meet at the usual spot?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Oh and fix your hair by the time I see you again, Pig."

"You should get forehead checked out too," Ino said with a smirk,

They both laughed and hugged. They walked out into the hallway before departing in the opposite direction. Ino smiled a bit enjoying what little time that she spent with Sakura. They may have not been the same as they had been when they were children, but Ino always knew that she could go to the pinkette whenever she needed her.

She moved through the hospital waving at the nurses that occupied the building. She had long given up ever becoming as good as a Medic as Sakura, but she still took the time to studying the medical field. It wasn't like she didn't want to become a better medic; she had promised herself that she would be able to save another person's life. She just didn't want to be in the shadow of the Tsunade's apprentice. She wanted to be known for something else.

She was exiting the hospital when she saw an all too familiar face. Her calm disposition suddenly turned sour, though she tried to keep it composed. It wasn't like she had any reason to feel ill towards the male. He hadn't made fun of her or anything like that. He just remained quiet, which was to be expected from someone like him, but still…she was used to someone criticizing her for her weakness.

He had yet to do that.

Maybe she was being too harsh on him. She had never allowed herself to like him in the first place. Ever since the Forest of Death incident, she hadn't really bothered to get to know him. Nor had she wanted to, until this point when they were forced to get together.

It would be a start to try and be more sociable.

"Hyuuga-san," she called out, waving a bit.

The male turned to look over at her; it seemed that he may have had the same feelings about their predicament as well. It surprised her that he even decided to come over to her.

* * *

><p>He had to say that he was quite surprised that he had been more injured than he first thought. He had a broken nose, four broken ribs, minor scratches, and a bruise below his solar plexus. He was very impressed that the Yamanaka had been able to land a few hits on him. Ones that had made him seek medical attention as well. He wanted to say that he was proud, but he wanted to see all the abilities that she could do. If they were going to be a team, he needed more insight on her capabilities. Her stamina could be improved, though he was content that she was able to keep up with him in their little spar.<p>

"There you go, Hyuuga-san, you're injuries are fully healed," a mousy looking nurse said to him.

He nodded his head and shrugged on his shirt, after a quick inspection of the healing job that she had did. He buttoned up his shirt, before he thanked the nurse and left the building. His mind was not in the right place in order to be dealing with other people. He was more concerned about his partner.

Was she alright?

Had he injured her too much?

Ah, this was certainly not how he normally thought. Sure, with Team Gai, he showed as much concern as he wanted, though never had he been so bothered with the health of a teammate. Was it because that they would be doing more high-class missions? He was willing to put his life in the hands of the Yamanaka woman. The woman who had never seemed special. The woman had fallen behind while others surpassed her. Or had she really fallen behind? Had she just kept to the shadows and trained by herself? He had to say that he hadn't seen her just doing nothing; in all honesty, he hadn't seen her since the Chūnin Exams. This had been the first time since then that he had seen the blonde. She had changed greatly, she was more mature. Her resolve was stronger, though she still needed work.

A lot of work if she was going to be his partner.

He exited the hospital, walking through the white corridors. The fluorescent lights stung his sensitize eyes, which was why he probably looked annoyed all the time to outsiders. Due to the excessive use of the Byakugan over the years, his eyes had become more accustomed to seeing chakra instead of visible light. He had never spoken of this to anyone, but he felt it as unnecessary. What kind of Hyuuga would he be if his eyes were obsolete? He wouldn't be one at all.

He stepped out of the sterile environment into the bright afternoon, he squinted his eyes. For him, the day had just begun, after concluding that spar that he had with his new partner; he had decided that he should work on his Kata. He would need to make his movements more precise and not flawed. The Yamanaka had figured out common mistakes that he had made. He could not allow her to find his weak points again.

The more that he thought about the blonde, the more his thoughts began to blur into one another. There was this constant nagging, one that told him he should check up on her condition. Her arm had looked pretty disturbing when they separated in the hospital. He pursed his lips together in a thin line. Perhaps being on the same team as Ino was not the best of ideas, she was certainly throwing off his balance of thing.

He was truly beginning to question why Tsunade had paired them together.

Their skills combined would undoubtedly be unparalleled. He could see the logistics to the pairing, though their personalities did not clash well. He was always used to giving orders and having others follow them. Ino, on the other hand, did not take orders well and rather give the orders as well. It was like having two leaders on the same team, which never ended well. His brow furrowed as he continued to stand outside, how would they learn to work with one another?

"Hyuuga-san."

Neji turned to the voice that called him, only to see the person who occupied his thoughts.

What could she possibly want with him?

* * *

><p>"Yes, Yamanaka-san," he replied in his stoic voice.<p>

"Look…I'm sorry for not wanting to follow orders earlier," she replied in a subdued tone, she glanced away a bit. "It was wrong of me to not listen to you, I'll be sure to do so in the future."

He quirked a brow, he was a bit surprised that she so readily apologized him. Truly she did not seem like the kind of person to do such a thing willingly.

"Think nothing of it I'm sure you're used to getting your way." He noticed that she looked at him with annoyance clearly written on her face. "Though seeing how you have had teammates who normally say nothing, I suppose you're trying to get used to orders."

That seemed to satisfy her as an affection grin came to her face as he mentioned her teammates. That only made her question what they were doing at this time. Shikamaru was probably laying in a field somewhere staring at the clouds with Chouji beside him munching on a bag of potato chips. Or they could actually be doing work, well maybe not Shikamaru. Yeah, definitely not Shikamaru.

"I suppose your right," she said blowing off his earlier remark. "Anyways, I was wondering if you had the time to get a bite to eat with me. Nothing fancy, just a small meal. I'm sure you're hunger after all that training," she said while toying with the uneven strands of her hair.

He stared at the hair that had once been an endless river of gold, regret filled his being. He truly had admired her hair. It had been one of the first things that he had even noticed about her. Her hair had been so long and healthy, it was hard to find that amongst Kunoichi these days. Most kept their hair hidden, short or tied up, but Ino had flaunted it like it was never in harm's way. Until today.

"Sure, I could use a meal," he replied.

"Great! Let's go!"

She motioned for him to follow her, spinning around and bounding off towards the centre of the village. He watched her for a moment before following after her in a leisure pace, though fast enough to keep her in sight. She was an anomaly, something that he couldn't figure out. She was like the wind, constantly moving and changing. She was playful in one moment then fierce in the next. There wasn't a person like her.

He had followed her to a small restaurant, nothing that seemed out of the ordinary, but something that didn't seem to fit her personality, though he had been wrong about her this entire time. They settled down at table in the far corner, the blonde looking at the menu.

"Yamanaka-san-"

"Please, just call me Ino. All this formal stuff bothers me," she said with an exasperated tone.

He frowned a bit, not really knowing what to say. He had always kept everything formal and professional. How could anyone not like that? It was a form of respect.

"I will continue to call you by your last name for that it is the most professional way to handle things," he replied ignoring the roll of her eyes. "As I was saying before, I want to apologize for what I caused you to do."

She glanced over at him blinking a bit before she tilted her head. "What did you make me do," she asked in a confused tone.

"Your hair…I-"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Hyuuga-san. It's just hair, it'll grow back."

"But it must have taken you a long time to grow it out," he commented, knowing that women cared about things such as good hygiene and nice hair.

She let out a small laugh and shook her head, her fingers playing with her hair. "Maybe it's for the best. I guess I could use a change on things, you know, spice things up. Besides, it was becoming dreadfully troublesome to deal with in the morning."

He remained quiet as she continued to speak not really understanding the moods of the Yamanaka. She was like a bunch of people all put into one, though maybe that was to become of Shinobi who walked into the minds of others. Lilac hues watched her as she became animated with talking about all the tribulations that she went through in the morning with her hair and the benefits of having shorter hair. He found himself slightly amused with the way she described things, normally he found such mundane meetings annoying, though with Ino, he was entertained.

Being around Lee and TenTen was different, there was more of a family vibe between the three of the,. Sure, Lee could be a hassle at times; his never-ending energy was quite the bother though he cared deeply for his team. TenTen she was rather reserved but she kept Lee in check and was a valuable asset to their group. He could not think of himself on another team, but then there was Ino.

Even in this small amount of time that he had spent with her, she made him feel comfortable. He could sit there and listen to her speak for hours even. There was something about her voice that lured him, something in the way that she could so easily enrapture him. She constantly had his attention, whether she knew it or not.

"Hyuuga-san," Ino called out.

He blinked a bit realizing that their waiter was standing beside them. "Ah forgive me," he said handing over his menu. "I would like tea and herring soba."

"A bowl of cherry tomatoes and water for me please," Ino said with a smile.

The waiter walked away and the two sat in a brief silence.

"What other abilities do you have," Neji inquired calmly.

The blonde looked at him with wide eyes, before they narrowed. "Why do you need to know that?"

"If we are to be a team, I need to know all that you are capable of. The extent of the Yamanaka jutsu is unknown."

"I don't know much," she stated feebly. "My father is still training me. The mind is a very fragile thing to deal with, so it takes time for us to learn and master new Jutsu. We wouldn't want to damage the mind unless necessary," she mused tapping her nails on the table.

"Then tell me all that you know, things that you are currently working on and what you already know."

She let out a sigh. "I can't really explain someone of things that I can but I suppose I could try and show you." She laid her hand on the table, palm up. "Take my hand," she said gently.

The Branch Member stared at the hand for a moment, though he was not a coward. He placed his hand on top of hers. There was the warmth of chakra seeping into his skin, but it was nothing that seemed to have an altered affect on him.

"What is this?"

_You're so impatient._

The voice of Ino was ringing within his head, though her mouth made no movement. A smirk came to her lush lips and she removed her hand from his.

_This is a family technique of the Yamanaka family. Once I have passed my chakra into your system, I can now communicate with you telepathically. Neat, huh?_

"Can I communicate back as well," he asked with mild curiosity.

_Sure you can, I took some of your chakra as well. Call it equivalent exchange. In exchange of giving you my chakra, I take some of yours as well, that way it is balanced._

"It will be very useful for our missions."

"Yes, but there are limitations, I have to be within a mile of you in order for it to be effective. I'm still working on expanding it better," Ino said with a small shrug.

"Well, I do not expect that we will be a mile from one another. Anything else I should know?"

The waiter came back with their food and they soon began to eat. Ino happily munched on her cherry tomatoes, thinking about techniques. "I can sense chakra signatures pretty well, it's not that hard really," she said before popping a tomato in her mouth.

He was a bit more surprised that she knew such advance levels of chakra usage. "How old does the chakra have to be for you not to sense it?"

"If I have never sensed the signature before, it's hard for me to spot, but if I'm familiar with it, I can feel it from a month ago. Like the Training Ground we were at, there were multiple chakra signatures there that were a month old, but that's all I know."

How fascinating. She could possibly a sensor, though that would not be so surprising. He knew that Inoichi-san was a well renowned sensor in the village, it would make sense that his genes were passed on to Ino. It was simply strange for she could have been in a tracking team instead of a mid-range team. Perhaps that wasn't to be her stronger attribute as a Shinobi.

"Your chakra is even and strong, it's very pleasant to feel and see," she said with a smile, leaning back in her chair. "I think that's all I want to tell you for the day."

"As your Captain-"

"Look, I have other things I need to do today and I have already shared enough information about myself than I wanted to in the beginning." She stood up from her seat and placed some money on the table. "Next time, if you want me to tell you more about myself, then I want to hear something about you," she said calmly.

"You already know about the Byakugan," he stated with a frown.

"Who said I wanted to know anything about your Kekkei Genkai?"

He furrowed his brows and stared at her. "Then what else would you want to know?"

"Anything really," she said with a shrug of your shoulders. "How about your favorite color, food or season."

"How is that relevant to being partners?"

"Don't you think partners should get to know each other? Not just physical weaknesses but mental weakness as well."

The Branch Member remained silent. Ino shook her head and began to walk away. "Thanks for having lunch with me. When you're ready to tell me something about yourself, come find me," she said with a wave before leaving the small restaurant.

Neji sat there for a long time staring at the steaming cup of tea before him.

He had never thought about what his favorite things were.

* * *

><p>The feeling of soil under her nails was so comforting, natural. She always enjoyed playing in the garden, even when she was a child. Now, instead of pulling out the flowers, she planted them. She smiled a bit as the setting sun warmed her back, sweating coating her body. She had finished her solo training an hour ago; her muscles had a wonder burn to them. It would be a long soak in the tub tonight; it was something that she looked forward to.<p>

Maybe tomorrow she would relax.

She hummed a gentle tune as she transferred her bulbs into the moist soil. Being in the shop today had made her want to take care of her flowers. Her mother had given her a few flowers to place in her garden and she had rushed home to plant them. Flowers were so beautiful; they all held so many meanings and words. Just like the mind did. Within the mind a person could hide everything away and convey so little. But the mind could be expressing and full of words and beauty. That was why she loved the mind and flowers. They were one in the same.

Patting the ground, she leaned back on her feet, satisfied with the work she had done. She stood up grabbing hold of all her empty seedling trays and tools. She turned around to see her new mission partner leaning against the gate of her garden, his expression was troubled.

"Hmmm, is there something wrong, Hyuuga-san?"

He looked like he had been through a rigorous training regime and then decided to beat the shit out of a tree. His hands were bloodied and bruised.

"You should come inside and let me fix you up," she said brushing her soiled hands on her apron.

"Your question has bothered me all day," he muttered.

"You didn't have to think about it," she said gently, pruning some of her bushes.

"Of course not, but if I hadn't then I would not be able to inquire more information about you."

She smiled a bit, tilting her head slightly. "Well, that is true."

"My favorite food is herring soba and I like fall the most," he said in an annoyed tone, though it was only loud enough for her to hear. "I do not have a favorite color."

"That's a shame," she said. "Purple is my favorite color."

"I can see that."

She looked over at him and studied him. He seemed uncomfortable with telling her personal things about himself. Then again she was sure that he hardly ever opened up to anyone, but that would have to change. Being around her would cause him to be more open; she had to know him inside and out. She needed to be connected with him, or else she would lose him.

She could never lose anyone else again. Not a mentor. Not a partner.

"Come inside, Neji. I'll make tea," she said motioning with her head for him to follow. "We have a lot to discuss."

He hesitated, knowing that she would ask him more questions, but if this is what it took to be excellent mission partners, he would not back down. He soon followed the blonde into her home, knowing this would be a long night.


	4. First Blood  Part I

**Disclaimer:** I only wish that Naruto was mine, then Ino would have a bigger role.

**Important: **Alright! Here's Chapter Four! I want to say thank you to all of those that have left feedback, I enjoyed reading your thoughts and emotions. I am to know that you all are enjoying the story for the most part. Nonetheless, this is only the beginning and I hope you all stay to see how everything will unfold! Please excuse my delayed updates; I don't make deadlines for this reason. I would fail epically at keeping up to date. If you have any questions and/or comments, please leave them! Other than that, please enjoy the next installment of **Cognition**.

* * *

><p><strong>Cognition<strong>

_**Chapter Four: First Blood – Part I**_

* * *

><p>It had been a month. A long, tiresome month since they had become partners. There had been major progress between the two with teamwork, but it was more than that. They had gotten a feel for one another. Their personalities may have not blended well in the beginning and there still were a few kinks to get out, but with the more time they spent together, they were becoming a perfect pair.<p>

Ino had discovered that aside from the Byakugan, he had a small blind spot that he constantly worried about. It was at his back, a place that he never liked to have anyone near for if the enemy found it, it would be disastrous. His eyes were sensitive to the light which made send to her. Having to see chakra often altered the vision. He enjoyed the simple things in life like a fresh cup of steaming green tea, a home cooked meal, training, respect, and the list could go on forever.

Ino had not gotten the Hyuuga to speak, but he did give in every now and them. She learned that he liked autumn for the changing of the leaves, crisp air, and fair weather. Personally, Ino thought that autumn suited him. She would have said winter in the beginning, but there wasn't enough ice in his heart, in his mind. She could sense that from him.

He wasn't as cruel and cold as he let on.

He had dreams of Hinata becoming a very strong, confident leader for the Hyuuga Clan. He trained Hanabi daily to help her progress as Shinobi. He wanted her to succeed and be great, though he was concerned that she was too much like him. He described her as stoic and composed, in which Ino commented that it was not a bad thing, but Neji disagreed. He argued that if she allowed herself to contain all the emotional and physical stress that she dealt with, it would ruin her, make her like him. He said that she had a cruel and uncaring side, which she should not have at such a young age. That she hardly had any friends to play with.

He feared that she would be like he was a child and simply train and never actually have a childhood.

It had surprised the blond that he even told her about his childhood. She could remember it clearly. That evening that he opened up more to her.

* * *

><p><em>They had finished their day of training, going through the many exercises and back-up plans needed for reconnaissance and infiltration missions. A routine had formed between the two. Every day after their training they would return to Ino's apartment, either having a cup of tea or Neji would stay around while she tended to her garden.<em>

_Sometimes they would converse._

_Sometimes not a word would be said and it was comfortable._

_This day was not the usual silence._

_Ino had her hands dug deep into the soil, carefully planting bulbs and seeds. She was content with the looming presence of the Hyuuga. The silence they shared was natural, comfortable. It was nice to have his company. She hardly ever saw Shikamaru and Chouji anymore. She had wrapped herself up with all her training with Morino-sensei and with Neji, She was solely involved in furthering herself as Shinobi and she was fine with that._

_Even if she did miss her teammates greatly._

"_My father died when I was a child." He spoke out, interrupting her planting._

_Her hands stopped their task and she turned to glance over at him. She pursed her lips together, though he said not another word. She looked away slowly going back to her work. It had been a while before her spoke again._

"_I had been so angry at the time; I blamed Hiashi-sama for what had happened. If they had never been twins, then there was no way my father could have died. I had grown to loathe and despise the Head Members, eventually the entire Clan," he said gently. "It was to the point where I almost killed Hinata-sama."_

_Ino thought back to the preliminary rounds of the Chūnin Exams, when he had brutally beat Hinata to the point of her almost dying. She frowned at the recollection, not liking how these Exams had made Shinobi act. Though she did not comment on his words, she simply continued to planting her bulbs._

"_It was when I fought Uzumaki-san that I had finally seen the error in my ways. Destiny is interchangeable; the knuckle-head saved me from darkness. I am forever in his debt."_

_Ino smiled a bit gently patting down at the soil as she finished with her gardening for the day. She stood up brushing her dirtied hands on her lilac apron. She turned and smiled gently at the Hyuuga. "Naruto-kun has always been able to help those in need and put them on the right path, that's why he'll be Hokage one day."_

_Neji looked a bit stunned he had expected her to tell him how wrong it was for him to have nearly killed Hinata-sama, when it wasn't her fault for his father's death. He expected her to judge him._

"_Naruto-kun has saved a lot from darkness," she said in an ominous tone, a glassy look coming to those oceanic hues of hers._

_She moved towards him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Neji. It is only the strong who are able to learn from them." She offered another smile and motioned towards her apartment. "Why don't we have dinner, I'm a pretty good cook."_

_He could only nod his head in return._

* * *

><p>She finished placing the metal guards on shins and forearms; she let out a small breath shaking the memory from her. It had greatly puzzled her as to why Neji had told her such things. Then again, that was a requirement that she had asked of him. In order to become better partners they would share their abilities with one another, as well as, personal facts. She hadn't been expecting him to comply so easily, but he had. They had made great progress the two of them. So far, their success rate was unmarked for every mission that they did. Tsunade-sama had been very impressed, which made Ino ecstatic.<p>

Placing her ANBU mask on, she looked at herself in the mirror. She had become a lot more fit over the last month, Neji constantly pushing her to her limits. Her body was more sleek and muscular, though she still managed to keep her feminine curves. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, least anyone try to suspect that she was a Yamanaka. Her mask was that of a bird, red lines running alongside her beak, two black holes staring out to the world. A small dot on her forehead, but that was it on the white mask. She preferred it to be simply. Making sure her Ninjatō was strapped on tightly, she exited the ANBU locker room, making her way back to the meeting room.

Opening the door, she was greeted by the masked face of Neji, his head turning ever so slightly towards her, and a new member. She halted in her path, staring intently at the Snake masked male. From what she could see, he had pale skin, crimson hair pulled into a low ponytail, and his mask stared directly at her. The slits for his eyes were lined with red, his mouth curved into a devious smile. She wondered if he had eyes like a snake, she shuddered at the thought.

* * *

><p>"Bird, this is Snake, he will be part of our team temporarily," Neji said lowly from behind his mask, the hollow eyes rimmed with red, as well as the ears.<p>

"I see, it's a pleasure to have you on our squad, Snake," she replied in a friendly tone.

The new male merely nodded his body stiff and tense. She wondered what his deal was, but his chakra felt steady and calm. She decided to ignore it and look back over at Neji.

He nodded crossing his arms over his chest. "We are headed into Hayashi no Kuni, there has been speculation that a former ANBU group has appeared once more. They wish to take revenge for what Root has done to them in the past. It is our job to infiltrate the land and exterminate those who survived."

"We will finish of what Root did not do correctly," Ino muttered bitterly.

"Who are these ANBU?"

They both looked over to Snake, a frown formed behind Neji's mask. Was it truly possible that this male did not know of ANBU's past?

Ino let out a small snort and shifted her weight. "They were an ANBU regiment set up in Hayashi called the Prajñā Group. They had a Buddhist concept and thought that wisdom is able to extinguish afflictions and bring about enlightenment. They were off their rocker, really."

Neji let out a small sigh and shook his head; it was very much like Ino to make things as simple as possible, though that had to be a very good explanation. "Yes, that just about sums everything up. We don't have the time to further discuss this topic, we are heading out."

His teammates nodded and they all left the ANBU Headquarters in the matter of seconds.

* * *

><p>They had been nonstop for hours, Hayashi no Kuni was a small patch of land placed right in between Kaze no Kuni and Tsuchi no Kuni. The country itself was not large, though it did pose a threat upon all the surrounding countries. Prajñā were highly skilled and trained Shinobi, almost more deceitful than ANBU were, though they had more traditional techniques.<p>

There was a moment that they took a brief stop, Snake running off to get water from the nearby river. Ino glanced around before running through a few hand seals and settling down to rest her legs.

_What's his name?_

_Ishii Satoru_, came the reply she had been hoping for.

_Can we trust him?_

_We should be able to; Tsunade-sama would not assign us a partner who was untrustworthy. Is there something that is wrong?_

She remained silent for a while, temporarily a loss for words.

_Yamanaka-san._

Her attention snapped over to Neji who was staring intently at her. She shrugged a bit before rubbing the back of her neck. _I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable around him._

_It will be fine, you just need to get used to him._

She nodded to herself before cutting off communication she had with Neji as Satoru came back into view. She glanced over at him, feeling her skin crawl ever so slightly. Neji was probably right, she was just not used to him yet, and things would work out.

"Are we ready," Satoru's voice purred out in a low grumble.

Ino and Neji nodded making sure that they left little to no trace behind.

"Let's move out," Neji commanded calmly.

They hopped off back into the trees, moving at an even faster pace than before. "We'll make it to Hayashi by sun-down. We'll set up camp at the border of Kaze no Kuni and Hayashi no Kuni. Tsunade-sama has informed the Kazekage about our stay," Neji's voice came over the radio.

"Roger that," Ino replied swiftly breezing through the dissipating tree line. She shuddered a bit and looked over to her left. Satoru was keeping a safe distance away from her as he pulled up the left side of their triangle formation. His eyes remained straight ahead, though he glanced over at her.

Ice ran through her vein as she could almost feel his gaze penetrating her soul. She felt nauseous.

She turned her attention to the front, reminding herself never to look at him again. She could continue to feel his gaze until finally the warmth returned to her. She let out a shaky breathe ready to get this mission over with.

* * *

><p>How did this happen?<p>

He had made sure that everything was in order, their tracks had been covered. He hadn't even sensed the enemies' chakra with his Byakugan. So how had this happened?

His eyes stung as the smoke from their camp fire stung his sensitive eyes; he took a few steps back making sure he was as close to his teammates as possible. The distant sounds of shouting and metal clashing rang in his ears. He should have known better. This had been too easy for them. Had they been too confident in their mission success rate? That must have been it; he should have been more disciplined and humble. He should have scolded Ino for urging them to move on.

Now she was struggling to even stand up through the wounds and smoke that surrounded them. And where was Snake? He had disappeared the moment the explosion happened, and it wasn't like his eyes were much use. They burned and watered up every time the smoke billowed up. He would not allow them to fail a mission like this.

He quickly ducked under the wipe of a Wakizashi, his fingers jutted out swiftly and fiercely shutting down the enemy's central chakra system. He quickly moved to hitting all of the crucial pressure points on the Prajñā's body. He was dead within a few seconds.

He could hear the sounds of Ino fighting with a few of them, though the sounds of bodies dropping reassured him that she was handling herself.

"Bird," he yelled out over the noise of the war cries and roaring fire.

"Wolf," she replied back in a fit out gasps and coughs.

They blindly searched for one another, until they bumped into one another; squinting Neji looked down at Ino. Her mask had been knocked off, her azure orbs rimmed with red. They were puffy, and tears streaked her dirtied face. She had a few minor injuries but nothing too serious.

"Are you hurt," he asked.

She shook her head, gripping her Ninjatō tightly in her hand. "What about you?"

"Just fine," he said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

Ino let out a faint laugh and surveyed the area through a limited field of vision. "Where's Snake," she asked looking around frantically.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," he muttered, before cringing in pain.

"Wolf," she cried out, catching him before he crumbled to the ground. "What happened?"

There was warmth that seeped onto her; she looked at the dark crimson that coated her hand. She let out a foul curse, gently laying him on the ground, searching his body for the wound. She pulled off his armor to find a hole the size of her finger going through his chest. He let out a gurgle, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. She checked his breathing and pulse, both were slowly down at a rapid pace.

"Leave," he gasped out.

"Shut the hell up and let me concentrate," she growled, green light emitting from slightly trembling hands, her chakra seeping into his system.

"Ino, leave," he said in a more stern time. "As your Captain, I order-"

"I said shut up already!"

His lilac hues closed after a long glare at her, she let out a small sigh, resuming closing the hole in his lung. _First, rise up the collapsed tissue._ She could feel it raise a small smile came her face. _Next, close the hole carefully by accelerating the repair cycle of his cells. _Her brows furrowed as this was a delicate process. She inhaled steadily making sure that she didn't pump too much chakra all at once. _Now, pull the shards of bone back together and mend them into one. _She may not have been as fast as Tsunade or Sakura, though she took great pride in her medical abilities. The smoke allowed for ample enough coverage for the both of them. _And lastly, close the skin completely._ Once the wound was fully closed, she looked down at Neji. She once again checked his pulse and breathing, everything was stable. It wouldn't take much longer until he came around.

There was a popping noise behind her; she immediately hopped up from her healing position, Ninjatō ready to strike without hesitation. A low growl left her and her eyes turned into a cool, steel grey. She was calm and composed her muscles taut and prepared to fight. She would not lose another person, especially not like this.

Though something peculiar happened.

The black plumes of smoke slowly blew away, the temperature dropping, though fire around them remained lit. Through the flames a tall, lean figure came out, blood gleaming as the fire playing liked the male.

"Snake," Ino breathed out in relief, lowering her sword ever so slightly.

She froze when he looked over at her. It felt like she couldn't breathe; like she was going to vomit. Her Ninjatō fell out of her hands, clanging on the ground, her pale hands reaching up clawing at her neck. Icy hues widened as she dropped down to her knees, trying to find a way to breathe. Though she did not fear death, she knew that was to come eventually.

His eyes were like the sun, so bright and yellow. His pupils were so tiny into almost looked as if he had none. He moved with a lethal grace, slowly and casually, nearing where she and Neji were. The fire around him bad him seem as if he were an ethereal being. It was almost beautiful. He was almost beautiful. She collapsed to the ground, still struggling, his figure loomed over her.

A slow cruel smile came to his face. That was the last moment she remembered before the world around her fell into an abyss of darkness.

It was the first time she felt fear in years…

**(To be continued…)**

* * *

><p><strong>AU: <strong>Please not that I chose these animals portrayed on the masks based on the personality traits that I have of the characters in this chapter. These will be explained further down. Also, how do you guys like this new character? Please leave me feedback, if you wish, on what you expect or would like me to change. Again, I appreciate all who have reviewed my story; it means a lot to me. All ideas of the animal symbolizes are not mine, so if you would like to know the source of my information, I will happily send the link!

**Ino: **_Bird - _The soul, transcendence, spirits of air, ascent, communication, freedom, sight. I feel that this animal really embraces what Ino is, in my opinion. She is of the care-free nature and what really wanted me to portray her as a bird is the fact that birds are described as good communicators and have great sight, whether that is physical sight or great in sight to things. Also, 'the soul' really got me to pick the bird, for Ino knows all about souls and minds.

**Neji:** _Wolf - _Loyalty, success, perseverance, stability, thought, pathfinder, teacher, intuition, learning, the shadow. Neji was particularly hard for me to chose, because he is so diverse in my mind. Although when it comes to his progressive relationship with Ino and his personality change over the years, I felt that the Wolf symbolized his greatly. The description that is posted gives my exact thoughts of Neji really.

**Ishii Satoru: **_Snake - _Shrewdness, transformation, life, death and rebirth, rain, fertility. There's not much that I can go into about the meaning behind Satoru's choice of mask. It would give too much away then explain too little. In due time will all of it make sense. Just note that this is **very** important. Oh the foreshadowing!


	5. First Blood Part II

**Disclaimer: **I will never own Naruto, only in my wildest of dreams.

**Important: **So writing a fanfiction is way harder than I had initially expected. It has been long overdue since I last updated a chapter of "Cognition." I just started my Spring Semester of classes ._. Please enjoy the next installment of "Cognition" lots of action, angst, and budding romance lies ahead!

* * *

><p><strong>Cognition<strong>

_**Chapter Five: First Blood – Part II**_

* * *

><p>"How is it that my top Recon Squad was ambushed and one member is in a coma?"<p>

Her tone stung his pride; he could hear the disappointment and those hazel eyes piercing him. He resisted the urge to sigh, he merely clenched his jaw. There was really nothing that he could say, it had simply happened. This had all been his fault, he knew that. This mess up would surely stain his record.

"Hyuuga, how is your other teammate," Tsunade asked.

"She seems to be more active now and her chakra is stabilizing," he replied immediately.

"Good. Now, please explain to me what happened on your mission. I want to make sure that I understand this correctly."

"As I have stated before, my team had reached the border between Kaze no Kuni and Hayashi no Kuni within four hours. We made one stop to rest and hydrate ourselves one hour away from Hayashi. It had been a mutual agreement to infiltrate that land early-"

"How foolish," Tsunade grunted out, resting her chin on the tops of her hands.

"I understand that, Hokage-sama," Neji stated biting back the sarcasm that threatened to take hold of him.

"As we passed through the border, we were ambushed…"

"So that's how it happened?" She cocked an eyebrow. "I would have expected a Hyuuga at your level to have already sensed the enemy."

That hurt his pride.

"Forgive my mistake, Hokage-sama," he said tersely as he bowed.

"Pardon me, Hokage-sama, but I have a speculation as to what occurred."

Tsunade glanced over at Satoru, a hard glint in her eyes. He had been silent the entire time that Neji had been repetitively going over the mission report. He had been relaxing against the back wall of the Hokage's office, saffron eyes staring out the window behind Tsunade.

"Oh, so you have something to say finally, Ishii-san," she barked out. "You, who misused your jutsu and place your teammate in the hospital for the last week, what else could you possibly contribute?"

Neji noted that Tsunade was in the worst possible mood this morning.

Satoru allowed himself to wince as she pointed out his flaw. "I apologize for not being able to control my jutsu," he stated calmly. "Though when we returned from our mission, I had noticed something odd."

"And that is?" She was losing patience by the second.

He popped open his vest, bruises spotting his alabaster skin. They were purple and green outlined with yellow.

"What is this?"

"Poison," he stated.

"Poison," Neji and Tsunade said simultaneously.

"Yes, as you know Hokage-sama, my family deals heavily with poisons and antidotes. It took a few days for them to appear, but I felt the effects the night of our return. "He tilted his head while he spoke, Neji felt uneasy. "It was a mild poison that disrupted our sense and chakra. The symptoms were that of fever, nausea, and hallucinations."

"Why didn't you say anything before," Neji questioned.

"My apologies, Captain, but I merely assumed that it was fatigue due to the large quantities of chakra and strenuous physical exertion that we all underwent. Until the bruises appeared, I then thought of it being a possible case of poisoning."

"Hyuuga, have you noticed any bruises," Tsunade asked glancing back over to him, a look of deep thought crossing her face.

"I see, Ishii-san, does this require an antidote?"

"That is unnecessary at this point. Since it is a low to mild level poison it will clear the system without long term effects."

"Good, do you know how it entered the system?"

"I don't know when it was released, though I know it was airborne. I believe that Hayashi's borders are surrounded by this gaseous poison. That is why as soon as we entered the country, we were ambushed. I suspect that the enemy was using the poison to their advantage, waiting until our defenses were already weakened."

The buxom blonde's eyebrows pinched together as she was taking in all the new information. It slowly began to make sense, if it had not been for the poison, then Neji would have been able to sense the enemy. Due to the disequilibrium within their chakra, they were unable to detect anything.

"When I did a check up on Yamanaka's vitals, she didn't have any signs or traces of poison," she said, trying to make sure that it was really poison not Satoru trying to cover up in flaw in his technique.

"I'm still breaking down the components of the poison, so I cannot say for certain what it is made up of or where it attacks. I can only say for now that the poison is able to disrupt the chakra system and the mental state."

"Hyuuga, I want you to get a thorough check-up after this," Tsunade said rubbing her temples. "Ishii, I want you to continue researching behind this poison, make copies of what you find. We will put it in the files, that way we can be prepared for it next time. Also, work up an antidote to make our ninja immune to it. It is vital that we don't allow ourselves to be at an disadvantage."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the redhead said while bowing to her.

"You are dismissed," she said with a wave of her hand, a strong urge to drink itched her throat.

The two men turned to leave as a gentle knock came to the door. In entered Shizune, Ton Ton cradled within her arms. She looked a bit frantic as she rushed over to Tsunade's side. The buxom blonde glared at her assistant, wondering what paperwork and meetings she was forced to rush in to.

"Ano, Tsunade-sama, Yamanaka-san is waking up," she said gently.

"That's good news," she grunted out, turning to look through the drawers of her desk.

"Yes, but we have a…complication," she muttered gently, making Neji stop in his tracks.

"What kind of complication," she asked turned her piercing eyes to Shizune.

"It would be best if you saw it for yourself, Tsunade-sama," she stated in a grave manner.

Tsunade glanced back over at the Hyuuga, but he was already gone from the room. She frowned a bit knowing that it would have to be a rather large complication if Shizune had come to her personally. Heaving a large sigh, she stood up from her seat and made her way swiftly to the hospital.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>She had been floating for what seemed like forever, she could hear her heart pounding in her head. It pulsed rapidly, throbbing in her skull making her head ache in agony. All around her was a void of emptiness, a vacant space that she travelled through. Was anyone there?<p>

"Hello," she called out, her voice shooting off into the abyss, echoing.

Where was she?

Her mind?

Impossible, this was nothing like the landscaping of her mind. After all, she had trained in her mind for nearly twenty-one years, her mind was the one thing that she could remember even with her eyes closed. This only left her to wonder what had happened.

She remembered so clearly. The mission had gone well enough. They reached their destination in record time and it had seemed pointless to just camp out until dawn.

"_Captain, we should go ahead and infiltrate the land."_

"_I disagree, Bird," he grunted out._

"_It would be wise to get a better layout of the land, just in case anything happens to us," she continued on, looking off at the distance border of Hayashi. "We can make camp as soon as we stabilize the perimeter."_

"_I agree with Bird, Captain. It would be best if we were further prepared, one step ahead of the enemy," Snake chimed in, crossing his arms over his chest in his usual stance._

_Neji continued to contemplate before assessing the situation. If they were one step ahead of the enemy, then that would give them a greater advantage, as well as a mission ending sooner. With curt nod of his head, he briefly discussed the formation and are that they would cover and the procedure if something were to happen, like an ambush._

So what had gone wrong? They had been so prepared and cautious, it had been nearly impossible to reach through their defenses. They would have never entered if Neji hadn't thought they were up to par. So what had happened?

A noise caused her to turn around in the void that she precariously ambled through and she suddenly felt chilled to the bone. She recognized this sensation and she felt herself shrink away in fear. Glacial hues glanced around frantically as she moved away, searching for the worst. A cruel laugh echoed throughout her head.

"Just what the hell do you want," she command, though her voice sounded pitiful and weak.

The laugh merely grew louder as if it were nearing her; she spun around as she could feel someone's breath on the back of her neck. She grasped the holster on her thigh, only to find it empty of any kunai or shuriken. A dim glow in the distance caught her attention. She glanced at it curiously, before she realized the danger. She recognized that glow, two pairs of orbs floating towards her, they looked like small suns, burning through the emptiness and darkness. She turned to flee only to see that pair of orbs floating right in front of her. She let out a strangled cry, trying to move but she froze, just like before. The air around her became thick, it was difficult to breathe, and fear clutched her heart making it beat rapidly, frantically. She clutched her obscured throat, surprised to find an appendage there, holding her neck. Scratching at the arm, she struggled to keep conscious; the cruel laugh the only thing keeping her awake.

"I'll be gentle," a low voice murmured, hot breath on her cheek.

She jerked her head away from the tongue that traced her jaw line down to her collarbone. She stiffened when she felt a hand caress her exposed stomach, she thrashed as the offending hand got to close to her breasts. The warm breath trailed down her neck, nuzzled her chest, and planted gentle kisses upon her stomach.

"Just…what the hell…you…" she gasped for air. "Bastard!"

She let out a screech of pain as something sunk into her side; white hot pain seared her skin, spreading through her system like a wildfire. She was dropped to the ground, convulsing and howling in pain. Those cold, yellow eyes gazed down at her in awe and some deranged form of lust. She felt herself grow sick, her body heaved and twitched on the floor.

"Sleep, my princess, you will be mine soon enough," the voice murmured, something strange in its tone.

"Fuck…off," she grunted out before she was racing towards the light.

* * *

><p>"Stabilize her," Tsunade yelled as she held the convulsing mind walker in place. Shizune scrambled around the woman, pulling out a large syringe. With deft hands, she found the vein she had been looking for and tried to steady the flailing arm.<p>

"Tsunade-sama, I need her still," Shizune hissed out.

"Damnit, Hyuuga, hold her tight," Tsunade commanded.

It took three people to hold down the blonde woman. Sakura held down the left side of her body, while Tsunade did the same on the right. Neji firmly held her legs in place, his eyes never leaving the Yamanaka's face, her face twisted in pain. Shizune stabbed the needle into the vein, injecting the sedative to calm her down. When she stopped thrashing around, everyone let out a huge sigh of relief and exhaustion. Neji watched as the blonde's face righted itself to that of a peaceful look. He let out a breath wondering why he had come here. Why had he? She was a mission partner and nothing more. He had just felt guilty for not being a better Squad Leader that was all.

Wasn't it?

"What is the complication, Shizune," Tsunade asked her hand stretched out to look over the woman's charts.

Shizune briefly looked over at Neji then over at Tsunade, as if asking for permission. The Godaime snapped her eyes over at the Hyuuga before she pressed her lips together. "It's alright if he stays, it may be necessary that he learns of her condition. I assume that she will have to be monitored until she is fully healed."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," Shizune said with a bow of her head. She walked over to the bed before pulling back the sheets on the left side of Ino's body.

There was a gasp of disgust that came from Sakura, her face growing pale. Tsunade nearly dropped the chart that she had been flipping through. Neji turned to look away at the ghastly sight. The Godaime moved quickly to inspect the wound. "Just what the hell is this?"

Two puncture marks were in her side, black, yellow and purple discoloration occurred around the injury, spreading more than three inches originally from the marks. Not only did she have the discoloration around the wound, but there were small bruises all over her body.

"Did you try using an antivenin? This looks to be a snake bite," Tsunade asked, tenderly touching the discolored area.

"I have tried every antivenin we have; nothing seems to be working though her vitals are still normal. After the blood test, we found small traces of poison in her system, though they were at very low levels," Shizune recited the routine they had done on the Yamanaka.

"Hyuuga-san, I will need to do a physical examination over you immediately," Tsunade said as she searched through the charts.

"I'll do it."

Everyone turned to look over at the blonde, whose bright blues were staring directly at Neji.

"You're awake," Sakura murmured, her voice cracking a bit.

"Of course I did, Forehead." She let out a small snort, rolling her eyes. "I can't just leave you and allow you to continue torturing everyone with that hideous Billboard Brow."

The pinkette immediately hugged her closest rival and friend, trembling with the threat of tears falling. Ino rubbed her friend''s back gently a small smile upon her lips.

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine, just a bit sore and tired," she completed with a yawn.

Tsunade's brow furrowed instantly, but as she moved towards the blonde, she monitored her heart rate, it was normal. When she placed a green hand upon the Yamanaka's shoulder, she felt that everything was balanced. However this did not settle well with the Godaime. A frown touched her lips, a headache forming. None of this was making sense to her, she was crashing a few moments ago and now she was completely normal.

"Shizune, get me Ishii-san, I'm going to help him figure out this poison," she said in a low voice. She would figure this out. "Yamanaka-san, you will be monitored closely for the next few days." Ino simply nodded as she looked over at the elder blonde. Tsunade's face softened and she gently rubbed Ino's head. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thank you, Tsunada-sama," she said with a gentle smile.

Tsunade nodded, though she became distracted with her thoughts while leaving Ino's room. Sakura let out a small sigh, knowing that she would have a long night beside Tsunade. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Pig," Sakura said giving her a faint slap on the air.

Ino shrugged a bit and laughed slightly. "I can't promise you anything…you know that."

A saddened look came to Sakura's face and she nodded. "I know…I know."

"You're busy, you should leave."

"You're right." Sakura squeezed Ino's hand tightly before nodding to Neji.

When she left, Ino moved around trying to get out of all the wires and tubes that she was connected to. She struggled for a few moments before she felt gentle hands help her. She stopped enjoying the touch that she had not felt in a while.

"It is a surprise that you are awake," Neji's low voice murmured out.

"What can I say? I do enjoy surprising people," she said in a light tone.

"This is no joking matter, Yamanaka-san. Everyone was worried over you," he stated.

"You're frowning aren't you?"

"I am not."

When she turned to look at him, she smiled a bit as there was a deep frown upon his face. She shook her head, before standing up. She wobbled for a bit before finding her equilibrium. "You were frowning, liar."

"What happened to you?"

The blonde stopped rummaging through the clothes that she was sure Sakura had brought while she was in a coma. A far off look came to her eyes, her face turned pale. She trembled a bit before she blinked a bit, her healthy color coming back. She looked over at Neji, before her arctic hues danced around the room, as if she were looking for something. When she felt satisfied, she let out a sigh before smiling.

"Tsunade-sama said you needed a physical right?"

"Will you answer my question?"

She shimmied on a pair of black shinobi pants with a matching black sweatshirt. She fixed her hair from looking messy. "I just happened to be accidentally trapped in Ishii-san's jutsu that's all."

Lilac hues narrowed as she moved towards him. She moved as if she had just woken up from a small rest, so full of energy. She had looked so weak and fragile this last week. It was completely strange to see her so active. "What happened to you?"

She seemed to halt for a brief second before a sweet smiled touched those lush lips of hers. She shook her head, nonverbally saying that she was disregarding his question. Why would she not tell him? They were teammates. They had been opening up to one another for the last month, which she had instigated, and now she wished to close herself off from him. A frown touched his lips again, trying to put the pieces together that made Ino.

He flinched a bit when her fingers unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off his shoulder gently. There was a small frown from the blonde as she traced over the small bruises on his body. "How did this happen?"

"Ishii-san commented on how there was a gaseous poison that was surrounding Hayashi no Kuni. We were all affected by it," he stated keeping his eyes forward.

"I see," she said in a hushed tone, as if speaking to herself. "Do they hurt?"

"Not at all," he stated, holding back a shiver as her fingers traveled over his ribs.

"I'm sorry I couldn't heal you properly," she said while touching the faint pink scar on his chest.

He glanced down at the blonde, not sure of what to say. This moment felt vaguely intimate to him. Here he was standing with his shirt off, her hands trailing all over his torso. She leaned in closer to him to look at his wounds better. He could feel her warm breath tickling his exposed chest. It was a good thing that he could keep a handle on his emotions, or else he would have been freaking out.

He took her by the wrist, realizing that she was extremely saddened by the way she healed him. "You did an excellent job, Yamanaka. I would not have wanted to have my life in another's hand, other than yours."

Sky blue hues snapped up to meet his pale ones. "Do you mean it?"

His breath had caught when she looked up at him with those dewy hues. He merely nodded his hand before letting her hand go. They lit up to be a green glow, she traced over his body making sure it was clean. "You seem to be in good shape, I'll let Tsunade-sama know."

"You should rest more," Neji said while putting back on his shirt.

"I have been resting for a while now…How long was I asleep anyways?"

"For a little over a week now," he replied.

"A week," she screeched out in shock, her mouth hanging open. "I can't believe it; I have so much that I need to do." She soon began to scramble picking up all her belongings in the hospital room.

"Yamanka-san, as your Captain, I advise you to rest until your full strength as returned," Neji stated in an authoritative tone.

"How would you feel if you had missed a week worth of training? I will not just sit around and do nothing; I have already wasted enough time."

"Yamanaka," he snapped out.

"What?"

"Have dinner with me tonight," he stated.

She blinked, slightly shocked though her eyes narrowed. "And why should I go out to dinner with you?"

"If you will do this for me, just for tonight, I promise I will allow you to resume training tomorrow."

A beautiful smile came to her lips as she looked at the Hyuuga. "So you do care about me. Alright, I'll be ready by seven, don't be late!" She walked by him, though not before gently touching him on his arms, her touch burning him.

He stood there stunned; he should have just commanded her to rest by order of the Hokage. No, instead he had to open his huge mouth and tell her that he would treat her to dinner. Rubbing his face a bit, he wasn't sure what to do. Whenever she was around, he couldn't think properly. He wanted to tell her things that he had never told Team Gai and they were the closest people to him.

Ino…

She was like the sun, radiating with such warmth that anyone could be pulled to her. She held this air that made you feel inferior by her beauty yet invited by the compassion that she had. It was what made her so alluring yet so terrifying at the same time. He was drawn to her by the side that he had never seen before, by the maturity that she possessed, by the acceptance that she understood well, and by the trust that she instilled within him. He had never felt like this with anyone else.

When she had been admitted into the hospital, he had been full of worry and guilt. It had nothing to do with the fact that he had messed up the assignment due to his overconfidence. It had everything to do with the fear of losing something precious to him. Ino was so very precious to him, it hardly made any sense to him but he supposed that it was just how things worked. This…companionship and partnership that the two of them shared was a new experience to him.

"_So you do care about me."_

He supposed he did.

* * *

><p><strong>AU: <strong>Alright, I know it's been a very long time since I last update. I got really busy with classes and my job. Happy very very very last New Years' and Christmas to everyone! I hope it was wonderful for all of you. Please be prepared for the next installment of 'Cognition' hopefully coming soon. 3 Thank you to all of those you have read and reviewed, your opinions mean a lot. And for you creepers out there, thanks for reading this! :D Please wait for Ch. 6: Fever! Bye~


	6. Fever

**Disclaimer: **I think we all have a firm understanding that I don't own Naruto.

**Important: **Thank you all for submitting reviews and telling me your thoughts, I really appreciate it. I do take into consideration of what everyone has to say that being stated, please don't tell me what **you** want in the story. If you wanted something a certain way, make a story of your own. I don't mean to be rude, but I have a very specific idea of where I want this story to go, if you don't like it, then don't read it. Alright enough with my soapbox please enjoy the next installation of **Cognition**. :D

* * *

><p><strong>Cognition<strong>

_**Chapter Six: Fever**_

* * *

><p>Seven o'clock had come too soon.<p>

Letting out a slow breath, Neji lifted his hand to knock on the door. For the third time today, he told himself that this was a bad idea. He knew nothing about dates nor had he ever put an effort into trying to learn about it. Now he wished that he had accepted the offers TenTen made when she asked him to catch lunch, but he never thought he would ever actually go on a date. He had been so arrogant that he missed out on a very important lesson in life. Letting out a heavy sigh, this was only to keep Ino from overexerting herself. It was a bribe not a date, but this last week had been terrible without his mission partner. He wouldn't allow her to be hospitalized again. He would better himself and train harder in order to protect her, it was what she deserved.

The door opened.

"You know, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to knock or not. I took the liberty of opening the door for you," Ino said with a small laugh.

For the fourth time today, he told himself this was a bad idea. She wore a pale lavender dress falling down to the tops of her knees with a cropped whiter jacket covering her arms. The outfit was rather conservative seeing how her shinobi outfit exposed more skin. She had pinned her bangs to one side, the ends of her hair falling to touch her collarbones. With both of her eyes exposed, he felt more vulnerable to those intense azure hues of hers. Her look was rather simple yet he found it impossible to keep his eyes off of her. Clearing his mind, he finally looked away staring off in space. Oceanic hues sparkled with amusement.

"Cat got your tongue, Hyuuga-san," she asked playfully before closing her door and locking it. She held a small white clutch in her hand while the other snaked its way around the crook of his elbow. "Come on, let's go!"

He had no choice but to follow her, his face remained its casual calm. He glanced at the blond from the corner of his eye, trying to think of something to say. Should he throw out a small compliment? He liked the way that she looked tonight and how her hair was framing her face perfectly. There was this aroma that wafted off of her like wild jasmine and lilies with a hint of lavender. He wasn't sure why he noticed the way she smelled and how relaxing it was to him but it simply had happened. He also enjoyed the gentle pressure of her hand in his elbow, the casual stride that they kept. It honestly felt natural to be like this with Ino.

"Neji!"

"Pardon?"

Ino let out a glorious laugh that caused his heart to flutter a little faster, her nose scrunched in an adorable manner as she shook her head. "I've been calling your name for ages. I asked where we are going."

"Ah, I was thinking about Blissful Leaf," he replied.

"What a great choice! I could really go for the yakisoba there."

"I had hoped you'd be pleased."

She nodded glancing up at him. "You clean up well Neji; then again you've always been pleasing to the eye."

He blinked, not sure of what she meant. He had always worn clothes that were simple and neutral. He couldn't understand why she had said such a thing. He wore a slightly tighter version of his shinobi top and black pants. It was rather dull, in his opinion, but it was all that was 'date' worthy in his closet.

"I thank you for your compliment."

"So formal," Ino blanched. "You can be casual will with me."

"But that-"

"Would be disrespectful, I know, I know," Ino said in a bored tone.

He wondered if it hurt her feelings that he wasn't casual with her. They had shared things with one another that no one else knew. Then again, he had been with Team Gai sine the very beginning and they still didn't know as much as Ino did. He wasn't even casual with them either. Would it be so bad to allow himself to be friendlier with the people close to him? It went against everything that he had never learned, it was impossible to do though he could have sworn that he detected Ino's emotions of hurt earlier.

"Forgive me, I-"

"Oh! Look we're here," Ino exclaimed pulling him to the restaurant.

They were seated at a table by the window, overlooking the rest of Konohagakure. They placed their orders after a while, idly making conversation with one another about the view of the village and how the stars were bright this evening. When their food arrived, they ate in relative peace, until Neji noticed Ino looking out the window.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. I'm still a bit sore but it'll go away," she replied. Bright blues looked directly at him, he was a bit surprised at how intense they were. "So…what have I missed?"

"I suppose nothing really. You had quite the few visitors during your stay in the hospital."

"Really? Would you happen to remember who came by?"

"There was Haruno-san, of course. Akimichi-san and Nara-san dropped by every now and then." He paused as he thought more on it. "There was Inuzuka-san, Hyuuga-sama, and Uzumaki-san."

"Naruto came by?"

There was something in her voice that made him actually pay attention to her. Her mouth was partially open, eyes wide full of mild surprise. Her voice, he couldn't quite place what emotion she was projecting. "Yes, he came by at least three times per day."

Her eyes dropped to the water ring on the table, blond brows knitting together. "Did he say anything?"

"Not that I can recall." He leaned forward barely, trying to see what was wrong. "Yamanaka-san, are you feeling ill?"

"No," her voice cracked but she immediately cleared her throat. "No, I'm fine. I'm just…overjoyed to know that so many people care for me."

"Hnn."

There was something off about her, especially when he brought up the topic of Naruto. Deep down, he knew something had happened between them. Even the way she said his name held so much familiarity within her voice. It was sickening the more that he thought about it, that she had been with the other loud-mouth blonde of the village. Wait…he was making assumptions that probably weren't correct. He was acting like she was his property or something of value; she could make her own choices on who she wished to copulate with. It was none of his business; he shouldn't even be interested in her private life at all anyways. She was nothing but a mission partner. That was all. However, deep down he felt something malicious bubble up in his chest, making his blood boil and he seethed at the thought of the future Hokage.

"Anything else," she inquired, seeming to regain her composure.

"There is word going around that Tsunade-sama is preparing a very important mission though these are simply the rumors that have been passed around."

Her eyes lit up as if she had just found a brand new pair of shoes, or a bag full of money. "Are there any juicy details?"

"All that I know or have obtained is that it is located in Mizu no Kuni."

Her nose scrunched and she rolled her eyes. It was obvious that she was disappointed. He couldn't help but allow an amused smirk faintly touching his lips.

"That's boring. Oh, did you ever figure out what exactly happened when we entered Hayashi no Kuni," she asked in a low voice.

He waited as the waitress came and took away their emptied plates, dropping the check off. He gave her an affirmative nod and she leaned closer to listen to him better, least someone heard them speak of their shinobi business. "Ishii-san seems to believe that it was a gaseous poison that interfered with our equilibrium."

"Do you believe him?"

"It is the only logical explanation. You saw the bruises yourself," he said as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

Her shoulders sagged and she looked away from him. Her eyes hardened as she stared outside. Her jaw clenched and unclenched as if she was holding back some sort of anger or fear. She bit on her lower lip, before letting out a heavy breath.

"Don't trust him," she murmured out.

"What allegations do you have to make me agree with you?"

Wild eyes glanced over at him, her nostrils flared. "What do you mean? I am your mission partner; you should at least trust my words."

"That may be true but he is the one who figured out what went wrong."

She stood up quickly, knocking her chair down and the palms of her hand slammed down on the table, shaking the glasses of water on it. "Least we not forget that he is the one who put me in the hospital," she screeched.

The restaurant fell silent as she stood there panting. Neji sat there for a moment before pulling out money for the meal. He placed the money on the table getting out of his seat and picking up the chair the Yamanaka heiress had dropped. He took Ino by the crook of her elbow, leading her out of the restaurant and into the night. She didn't struggle against him like he had expected. He looked for a secluded place for them to talk. When he had pulled them to a stop, he chose a few inches into the tree line. She jerked her arm away from him as if she was now reacting. She walked away from him, crossing her arms over her chest.

* * *

><p>How could he? She thought that he had changed; he was supposed to listen to her. That was what mission partners did, they gave one another blind trust. She had trusted him to keep her safe and alive and he had never failed. She in turn returned the favor that he did for her. But now, just what the hell was this? She let out a huff of anger and she stopped, trying to calm her mind. She would not be able to keep up her strength if she allowed herself to get too upset about this, but her feelings were hurt, shredded into millions of pieces. After all that they had been working on together, Neji had to go all the way back to square one. She wanted to kick, scream, and cry but that never solved anything. She would just have to get him to understand where she was coming from.<p>

"What's going on, Yamanaka-san," he called out to her in a low voice.

She rolled her eyes and let out a mock laugh as she turned to face him. "I have been working so hard for you to get to trust me and this just puts the icing on the cake, Hyuuga."

His brows furrowed and she felt like she was trying to communicate to an animal. Actually, it would probably be easier to do that at this point. "What I'm saying is that you should believe me when I say that you shouldn't trust Ishii-san."

"How am I supposed to believe you when you don't have any proof that he isn't trustworthy?"

"Damnit Neji! It doesn't matter if I proof or not, you're supposed to believe me regardless. That's what mission partners do! We trust one another so that we can keep each other safe."

"It's only logical that we trust him, he has a vast knowledge of poisons that have proven to be of great use. He may have messed up with his technique but I'm sure it's something that can be improved. Yamanaka, you're logical is not matching up with the reality of the situation."

There was a brief look of hurt that flashed over her face and she let out a dry laugh shaking her head. Ino didn't know where to go from here. It had simply been one thing after another. She ran her fingers through her hair, tangling those pale appendages in the silken locks. This night…had not gone the way she had planned in her mind. She had thought that Neji would have listened to her and took it into consideration. It seemed that Satoru had somehow managed to get Neji to feel comfortable around him. There was no way to explain what exactly was happening to her, she didn't know herself.

She felt like she was going crazy…

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm still a bit out of it," she said in a defeated voice, a disheartened glance was thrown to the ground. "Maybe I should go home and rest, you were right. I was going to overexert myself."

His footsteps neared her but she made no effort to move away, at this point she felt so defeated, so useless. If she couldn't get her own mission partner to believe her then there was no point of trying to tell anyone else. Neji was right; she didn't have any proof of the malicious intentions of Satoru. All she had were the dreams that plagued her mind and that was all. Even if she asked her father to look at it, dreams were tricky to deal with. They were based on the imagination of the mind and certainly they would think of her overactive imagination as nothing to worry about. It was all pointless.

There was a gentle nudge on her chin and she was forced to look at the concerned face of the Branch Member. His lilac eyes were searching within hers trying to understand what was happening, but she knew he wouldn't be able to find the answers. She didn't even know them herself.

"Yamanaka-san, tell me what's wrong, let me help you," Neji said in a gentle tone.

She let out a small gasp as she felt tears spring to her eyes. How could she let someone else in again? How could she allow someone to know what was in her mind? The first time she did it, he had gone off and left her behind. He was with another woman now. The second time she had allowed someone in, she thought it would have worked out. They both were a bit rough around the edges, finding comfort in one another. She had truly fallen head over heels, but then he left her too. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to try again, but she felt so…comfortable with him. Her heart raced as she continued to stare into those pale eyes. He didn't believe what she had to say and if she couldn't get him to believe her, then she couldn't open up to him.

Then again, she could allow herself to open up slowly to him. It would be slow, very slow but it would be the start. She felt the tears spill down her cheeks. "I-I…don't…" she hiccupped a bit, knowing that she was holding back from him. She feared he wouldn't understand and that he wouldn't believe her. Knowing just that made her wary of ever trying to tell anyone; maybe she would just go crazy by herself. It would just be her secret.

"I'm sorry…I can't tell you," she trembled out, trying to move away from him. It was only making things harder on her. "You wouldn't understand it at all."

He held her close to him, trying to understand why she was being so blocked off from him, even the normal buzz of their mental connection was silent. "If you explain it to me, then I could understand better."

"No, I tried to already," she replied slightly hostile.

"You had no evidence to prove that-"

"I know," she yelled. "I know that I don't have anything against him! It's just a gut feeling and I want you to trust me on it!"

He fell silent trying to pull all the pieces together, though he wasn't coming up with a logical conclusion. "Would you give a full explanation when you figure out why we shouldn't trust him?"

She looked at him, staring at him before nodding. "I promise I will…just don't trust him please."

Neji nodded his head as he let out a sigh. "I'll keep an eye out on him, if that is what you want."

She smiled brightly brushing away the tears that were running down her cheeks. It made her happier that he was at least trying to understand. Maybe she would be able to open up. Maybe she would finally feel at ease, but there was still so much progress that they needed to make. It would just take a little more time and effort. She was still unsure of how to explain it all to him, but she would figure it out. He was open to it and that was all she wanted from him.

He shook his head slightly; at least she was smiling again. "Come on, it's late and you should be resting."

"Yes sir," she said with a salute as she took his arm again.

* * *

><p>The walk to Ino's apartment was filled with silence. Ino thinking of how she should explain all this about Satoru to Neji and Neji was trying to figure out why she had closed him off. They reached the gate to her garden; he noticed how the small buds were already popping up. They walked through the back entrance, walking through the dark kitchen. Ino placed her clutch on the counter before turning to face the Hyuuga. There was a meek smile that came to her face and she brushed back her hair.<p>

"About tonight, I'm sorry for kind of disturbing dinner. Overall, I had a great time."

"Think nothing of it; I quite enjoyed dinner as well."

Ino gave him that enchanting smile of hers causing him to shift his weight nervously. "Will you be in the garden as usual tomorrow," he asked to kill his nervous movements.

"I do believe I'm supposed to be resting, so yes I'll be there. Same time as usual I suppose."

"I shall come by and check up on you then. You have a good rest of the night, Yamanaka-san." He bowed his head and turned to leave, he felt her following after him, it was probably to lock the door when he left.

"Aw," she said with a huff, leaning against the doorframe, gazing up at him with mischievous hues. "You know, when people go on dates there's supposed to be a goodnight kiss," she teased out.

He stopped and turned to look over at her. She looked absolutely appetizing leaning in the doorway. Her hip jutted out in a deep curve from the way she was leaning, her dress feel in perfect formation around her body. He gulped a bit before walking towards her. His face remained calm as usual and honestly, this was the first time her truly felt calm around her. He smirked slightly at the look of surprise that came to her face as he leaned down closer to her. He wasn't sure what took over him, but he felt like it was appropriate. She shivered when his lips touched hers, gasping as he pulled her closer to his body.

Fire spread from his lips to every single spot on his body as he continued to kiss her soft lips. When her lips parted and their tongues met, he felt drunk at how sweet she tasted. It was like a wildfire running through his veins; he tilted her head back to explore every crevice of her mouth. He held her tightly against him; she clutched his shoulders returning the kiss with slow, burning passion. His teeth slid over her lush lips, tugging on them gently eliciting a groan from her. He realized that he was beginning to want to know what other sounds he could draw out from her.

Her lips sent thrilled jolts through his body igniting something that he had never known to have existed inside of him. He felt primal, animalistic as they stumbled back into her dark kitchen, bodies pressing closer for any kind of sensation. He had never felt like this before in his entire life, this need, no, desire that pooled in the depths of his body, raging to be set free, threatened the control he had spent all these years training to have. A husky groan left the blonde as he pressed her against the table top, her fingers tangling themselves within his hair. She tugged on the roots oddly giving him a brief moment of euphoria at the ache though his hands grasped her hips as their bodies rubbed against one another. This was a sin, she was a sin. He should have known in the beginning that something like this would have happened between them, he had always been drawn towards her.

Pulling away before things slipped from his control and instincts took over, he breathed heavily looking down at the Yamanaka heiress. She seemed dazed, lips swollen from how demanding he had been. Her hands gripped the table top tightly, before she looked over at him. He had to say he felt utterly satisfied to show her what exactly he did to him, he leaned closer to her, enjoying the sound of the excited gasp that left her.

"Sleep well, Yamanaka," he whispered against her ear.

"Y-You too," she breathed out.

With that the Branch Member left her apartment without another word, if he stayed any longer things would definitely go downhill. He hadn't really understood what came over him, it could have been the way she was looking at him, that teasing smirk on her lips, how her eyes drew him in or maybe he was finally losing his control with her. She was dangerous from him but he was pulled to her like a magnet to its pole. There was no way of escaping the alluring presence of the Yamanaka heiress. He was on fire, his whole body tense with desire and no way of releasing it. It has been a terrible idea to even initiate a kiss with Ino, now it would be even more difficult to keep himself focused. Neji could not afford to get involved with anyone, he had his duties to attend to and a career to progress in, he couldn't allow distractions in his life. Ino was a very large distraction.

There was already something going on with her, something that she couldn't tell him. But she could tell him anything and everything, he actually wanted to know. He wanted to listen to her, hear her voice. She was consuming him whole and he wasn't even resisting it. He had to be careful however, the topic of Naruto was still plaguing his mind perhaps that was why he had acted so irrationally. He kissed her because of something deep within him, a monster that wanted to make her understand. She needed to know that she was off limits; no one else was to be with her. But that made him sound jealous and they weren't even together. Hell, there had been no indication that she was even interested in him, but he had felt it. In that kiss, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It was a mutual understanding; their minds had formed that connection before he had even realized it.

Running a hand over his face, he was exhausted and in need of some sort of relief from this tension he was feeling. There was no one to train with at this time of night much to his dismay. Entering the Hyuuga Compound, he headed straight for the training area. Placing himself in the far area of the training grounds, he sat down and close his eyes, meditation would have to make do for now. Being around the blond vixen was making him lose sight of his focus, which he needed to regain. The date had went from all ends of the spectrum from calm to angry to intimate, it had truly blown his mind. He nearly allowed his control to slip with her and he wasn't sure how he felt. Closing his eyes, he was trying to find a way to distract himself from Ino and the desire that he had for her.

He knew that there would be problems later; he couldn't fathom how to prepare for them either. Right now he needed to cool the heat scorching his skin, before he went mad. For the fifth time today, he told himself this was a bad idea.

* * *

><p><strong>AU: <strong>Oh ho ho ho! Things are heating up between them and the tension is rising up! Gah, so I'm kind of ill so if I've made mistakes please let me know, I've proofread this like five times, but I bet I missed something. I'm slowly getting more and more time to type up these chapters. Hopefully Chapter 7 will be down soon. _ I hope you guys are ready for what's about to happen next! :3 Please look forward to the next installation of **_Cognition_**! _Chapter 7: Heavy_ is on its waaaaay!


End file.
